Former DNC head Kirk tapped to replace Kennedy

    BOSTON (AP) - The Senate seat that was held for nearly a half-century by Ted Kennedy will now be filled by Paul Kirk—but just for a few months.
    Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick has named the former Democratic Party chairman to fill that seat on an interim basis, until there’s a special election in January. The state legislature authorized him to do so this week.
    Patrick says the issues before Congress are “too important to Massachusetts for us to be one voice short.“
    Kirk is a Kennedy family friend who served on the late senator’s staff for eight years and is chairman of the JFK Library Foundation.
    In fact, Kennedy’s will—which was filed today—names him as the executor.
    The appointment allows President Barack Obama to regain a critical 60th U.S. Senate vote he needs to pass a health care overhaul.
   
    (Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)